The United Royal City States(Gredge States)
The United Royal City-States(informally known as The Gredge States, or the Fifteen Cities of Coral)' is a completely submerged series of loosely unified cities and provinces. ' From primitive nomads to highly advanced cities, the Gredge have had a very rich existence filled with history. The Gredge States are ruled by the Sea King, and his elected Coral Council. There are three main branches of government. *The Royal Branch consists of the Royal Family and cabinet of Ministers. The Sea king may veto any law proposed by the CC. He also leads Gredge forces into battle, with the ability to sign any treaty declaring war or making peace with other states. *The Coral Council acts as the legislative and Judicial sector of Gredge government. Two councilors from each city are elected to the council where they vote on laws proposed by the Sea King. They may also propose legislation. *The High Priest controls interpretation of the Holy Word of the Father, and is the spiritual leader of the Fatherists. He may challenge any legislation by declaring it unholy. Most Gredge live within the sheilded coral cities, comprising the 15 Cities. There is a large expanse of unoccupied sea floor called the Rift Sea. Poor farmers often move their ro herd Sea Cows or to flee outstanding debts. 'History' 'The Beggining' "In the Beggining, Father created the Gold Skies, and the Blue Seas. Then Father God noticed the Seas were without shape, and without land.So Father transformed the seas into a ball, then taking his own body created the lands which split the seas." Origios 1:1and 2, The Holy Word of the Father God Creator As the first passage in the Holy Word read, Father God Creator created the heavens and the seas. This in reference to the creation of Chimera. From the onset of their history, the Gredge have been a primitive peoples, living in huts and caves carved from coral, arranged in tribal villages, which were semi-nomadic. As the great sea cows changed migration, the Gredge would follow and hunt them, as well as gather whatever beach and sea-floor plants they could carry. However, in the year 5000 PE(pre-enlightenment), the first major city was formed. Little is known of it, but it was the first ribe to permanently settle in an area by growing kelp fields and domesticating Dolphins, sea cows, and Calamari. The Unification Wars (The Victumus Era) In the year 3100 PE, a Gredge warlord called Victimus had ammased an enormous warband by uniting minor Gredge tribes through conquest. However, over the years these tribes grew into one, merely known as The Gurani, literrally the Warband. Victimus saw the oppurtunity of uniting all the petty kingdoms and Cities under the same banner. And in 3089, he nearly succeeded. After capturing many cities, Victimus contacted the remaining 7 with an ultimatum, surrender and submit, or be integrated into his empire forcefully. They decided to fight, and what ensued was the second bloodiest war to ever fill the seas. The seven cities formed into one kingdom, Aqua Concordis. The Kingdom built its army for a year before the Gurani struck. The first annd second battle of Gorumus ended in crushing defeats for the Gurani, and for the first time the Gurani were not victorious. The half-starved garrison was defeated after a four month seige at Gorumus, and the Gurani finally had entrance into the Kingdom. However, the Concordisians had a very vital trick up their sleeve, The Coral Lancers. These knight-like dolphin heavy cavalry provided the Kingdom with a powerful upper hand ove the warband. However, it wasn't enough and Victimus eventually reached the Capital, Concorsis City. Following a long and costly siege by Victimus's army, The city fell and was renamed Victusimun, basically conquest city. 'The Splitting of an Empire' Now that his Empire was secure and united, Victimus decided to focus more on rebuilding the Empire and befriending the local populaces. However, he met a suspicious death in 3060, probably assassination. Without a leader or an heir, the Empire crumbled into 15 individual Kingdoms, situated around the fifteen major cities of Aqua Concorsis. Through the next thousand years the cities grew and expanded, greatly so when Coral manipulation was discovered by alchmists in Victusimun, capital of the remnant of the old Empire. 'The Great Shorun Race' In the year 40 PE, a whale tamer and former Dolphin cavalry commander captured and tamed the first Supros whale. They were found to be as intelligent as dolphins. This intrigued the two, who decided to experiment with amss transportation. To do this they chartered the TranState Whale-way Company. Ontop the blue whales, (which are much larger than their other equivelents) tere were coral cabins built to house passengers and cargo. Eventually this company evolved intto an enormous mode of transportation, carrying everything from coral to Kings. Most kings and lords have their personnal variants. The major advancement came in 65 PE whenever the Royal Sea Army of Gerundia, a small albeit wealthy city, petitioned heir king to allow the experimentation of coral armored whales with the highly experimental coral cannons and other weapons to make a weapo of it. He approved and a small Supros whale was "saddled" with a small coral cabin for crew, two light coral cannons, a bridle deck (with large coral reins that commanded the whale to steer and accelerate), and a coral tower where the whale's lookou could spot hostiles from dozens of leagues away, but is more uselful whenabove the surface. A decade later, two more Battle Supros were created, and the City of Gerundia expanded it sborders with a small army that was supported by the large war-Supros. These weapons were quickly adoped by other cities leading up to the City-State crisis of 12 PE. Ten of the lesser Cities had banded together to form the Republican Confederacy of Aqua, and the remaining five signed the Royal Federation Alliance. Both sides had Supros, but the Royal Federation had larger, better outfitted ones. In 10 PE, the spark was lit whenever a Confederate patrol Shorun was bitten by a tiger shark, causing it to hip around quickly despite its commands. It slammed into a fully armed and armored Royal Battle Shorun. The Confederate Shorun survived, but was wounded. HowevIer, the Royal war Shorun wasn't so fortunate. It suffered a huge gash in its side, killing it in hours. The first Shorun ever killed while in Gredge ownership. This started the bloodiest war to date. The Great Shorun War/ The Second Unification The war lasted until 1 PE, whenever casualties were high on both sides and the Shorun navies had bankrupted the Royal economy. The Confederates had been bankrupted, but sill fought on with donations and loans. In the third month of 1 PE, the Royal Shoruns had pushed through Confedeate waters, surrounding the city.The Royal Council of King's was assembled on the Shorun Flag vessel, negotiating with the High Minister of Aqua. The fleet had been positioned just out side the Confederate capital with heavy coral cannon bombarding the translucent Coral Dome that protected the third largest city in Greater Gredge Waters. They came to an agreement, and the war ended. The Confederacy was absorbed into the newly formed United Royal City-States. 'The Post-War Suffering' The Post war era was filled with recession and depression. I was not aided whenever the silver mines collapsed after being mined dry. And from devastation of the war, the mining copanies couldn't afford to look for more silver. The governments were broke, so there was no real form of government industry. This forced many peasants to flee into the unpoliced Rift sea, that was claimed by the URCS(United Royal City-States), but very sparsely inhabited by exiles and frontiersmen. There they scraped along a living paying only minimal taxes farming sea cows. Eventually, the cow market recovered and food was plentiful again, excpet for one thing. The people were tto poor to buy anything, and the nobles were holed up in their coral castles, counting their coin. 'The Great Revolution' In 0 PE, the Party of Order was founded, violating the Royal Decree stating that no form of Republicanism will be implemented. This didn't stop them however, and with support from minor nobles and huge support from dirt-poor peasants, they stormed the capital of Victusimun and the Palace, where the Sea King, high king over the other 15 kings, was forced to sign a Consitution drawn up by the Orderist. This created the Coral Council, which removed the Royal ability to decree laws, yet retained most of his other abilities 'Current Days. ' The current year is 15 NA(New Age), and the economy is back on track. The silver mines have been re discovered and currency is circulating again. The poor have improved because of the Council's widespread economic reform. The High Priest has also been coronated and now guides the Fatherists with his blessed wisdom. The Sea King has died. His only heir is a young Princess of 20, and a bastard son hidden away in the Rift sea. The Sea Queen and the High Minister have declared co-regency, and the Council is pondering a vote on who will inherit the monarchy. As an added note, strange creatures have been spotted riding massive brown whales below clouds, and the Council is debating on what to do with them. 'Biology' The Gredge are a biped humanoid, aquatic species that live almost entirely underwater. They possess both gills and lungs, although the former is the stronger of the two. They also naturally produce a glossy like liquid that sheilds their pores from infection or entry of microorganisms. This is often though to be water sice they spend so much time in the water. The Gredge reproduce sexually males have Penises and testes similar in size and texture as human organs. Females are exactly like female women when it comes to sex. All Gredge have retractable fins on their wrists, ankles, and between their arms and chest. These neturally open when wetted. 'Warfare ' Although generally non-agressive to most species, the Gredge are a warrior society, all males falling into one of four castes, and women fall into 3 castes. The 3rd caste for men is the Surdu class, Gredge for war-carrier, which are responsible for fighting the battles of the Gredge. Well trained to fight sharks and other beasts, as well as to ride whales and dolphins, the Surdu are very strong men in deed. Their duies include protecting the 15 cities, coming to arms whenever their King or the Sea King call for them. The "Fin-Soldiers" of the Surdu are generally given one of three roles. -Juagernaughts are massive coral armored Gredge that rely on the organic coral to power its armor. They use a large coral sword and Coral Sluggers. These sluggers fire sharpened pieces of coral at high velocities, but are un able o fire unless moist or dampened. Juagernaughts generally serve as shock troops and front line tanks. -Skirmishers are smallish Gredge known for the quickness as well as their clever mind. They typically are used in ambushes and to pick off enemy commanders, as well as thinning out enemy infantry. They are usually not armored save for whale-hide loinclothes that are worn by all males on casual days. They are normally armed with a couple harpoons, which are easily thrown and attached to the throwed wrist via kelp rope. This is so the Skirmisher can recover his weapon. -Weavers are the basic backbone of the Gredge. They are responsible for engaging in hand to hand combat and boarding vessels of humans and other assailants. The weild dead coral sheilds and spears, but sometimes use swords or harpoons. Although they own and collect of off land in heir town ships, Coral Lancers are still used as heavy cavalry, and are a vital essence in any City or King's armies. By riding their dolphin mounts and using long coral lances, they are able to strike enemies hard and swiftly, then draw swords and fight dismounted. A senior Lancer usually controls a town, while two other lancers are his subordinates. They are expected to provide Finmen, other dolphin cavalry, as well as Juagernaughts.They also have the massive whales known as Supros Battle Units that are mounte dwith the same type of cannons that Juagernaughts are, but slightly larger. They are capable of firing above or below water, and are devastating to most other sea craft, yet are very vulnerable to Airships. Culture, Government, and the castes The Gredge government is officially called The Royal United City-States, and is headed by the Sea king, who reigns as executive and judicial power holder. He is only limited by the 30- seat coral council. The rest of the country is ruled like feudel land in the following heirarchy: Sea King( inherited) King(commands single city and surrounding sea, inherited) Lord(Barons and Counts; rule towns and farmlands surrounding ,inherited) Coral Lancer(Dolphin mounted knight, controls a single fortess and village, appointed) Magistrate( administers village, elected) Gredge soceity is dominated by the caste system, it is arranged accordingly: Male castes: Sanctus- The highest class is associated with the High priest and his lesser holy men that provide insight on the Holy Word,as well as guide citizens and kings on spiritual maters Admira- the Nobles, Kings, and the Royal family; mostly serve as commanders, land owners, rulers, and high priority architects. Surdu- The warrior caste; hunters and warriors, kill sharks and tame whales for use by armies Kirhu-farmers, and commoners common positions are coral shapers(black smiths), builders, bakers, etc. They are often used to construct the great undersea cora cities. Barhu- Servants and other low income proffesions, they often serve as farm hands, or hard laborers. female: Regi- female nobles, and wives of Coral Lancers(knights), sometimes serve as queens. Kurhi- common women, wives of average peasants and the rare middle class workers Plessi- concubines and sexual slaves.